


Red Sky At Night

by dementxa



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, POV Third Person, Romance, The other dads make minor appearances, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2018-12-13 17:17:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11764653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dementxa/pseuds/dementxa
Summary: A new dad moves into the neighbourhood, and catches Robert's attention.





	1. Robert 1

Waking up was the worst.

A low groan escaped Robert's throat before he could even muster the energy to open his eyes. He knew that if he did, if he cracked his lids open even a tiny bit, then he'd regret it. He rolled over so that he could lie on his face.

His head was about to split open. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed out so late ... or drunk so much. He should have left the bar with Mary, instead of staying there for a few more hours, hoping to find something interesting to do. He hadn't, and had ended up gulping shot after shot to try and make the time move faster.

How he'd ended up in his bed was a blurry memory. He could vaguely remember walking out the bar and stumbling on the pavement. He'd somehow managed to get back to his house, in one piece at that, but everything beyond him walking through his front door was a dark wall.

Oh, well, what else was new?

Robert remained with his face buried in his pillow until he heard the soft patter of paws on the bedroom floor. He looked up just in time to see his dog hop onto the bed. The sight of Betsy, looking at him with her moist round eyes and with her tongue hanging out made him chuckle softly.

"You hungry, girl?" He asked and reached out to scratch her between the ears.

Betsy replied with a short bark. Robert yawned and laid down again for a few seconds. Finally, he sat up, groaning as his bones cracked. Thank God for Betsy - if it weren't for her, he'd have nothing to leave his bed for most days!

He headed straight to the kitchen and took out the dry dog food. The brightly coloured paper bag, presenting a cheerful dog not unlike his own, seemed much too light - he'd probably need to buy a new bag soon. He poured a generous amount into Betsy's bowl, spilling some of the food on the floor as well. He shrugged it off, positive that Betsy would take care of it.

He watched the dog dig into the pile of food for a while. Betsy seemed happy, judging by the sloppy sounds she made while devouring her meal. Robert chuckled.

"At least you're happy, huh?" He bent down to pet her on the head. "Good girl."

He then leaned on the counter, pondering whether he felt too lethargic to make himself coffee. He badly needed it, on one hand, but on the other, it felt so comfortable being propped on the counter like that, and even the tiniest movement would ruin it.

From where he was standing, Robert had a direct view out his window to the house across the street. That house had been empty for quite some time, though it wasn't uncommon for people to come look at it.

It was a nice house, two-storied and with a relatively large yard. The real estate company boasted that it was easy to maintain, though Robert doubted it. The lawn needed some serious work, and the roof was begging to be cleaned. Still, it was in surprisingly good condition, considering the fact that it was an empty house in a neighbourhood with a high quantity of troublesome youths. But despite all its good qualities, no one ever bought it, for some reason. Robert suspected  _ he _ was the reason. He wasn't exactly what people sought in a good neighbour. Not that he ever tried to be one.

Now it seemed that the impossible had finally happened. Gone was the  _ For Sale _ sign that had been stuck in the ground like the lone survivor after a battle. Now, cardboard boxes littered the space between the house and the street, and two moving vans were parked nearby. Robert scanned the people huddled near the vehicles. He stopped on the only man who wasn't wearing the uniform of the moving company, accurately pinpointing him as the new owner of the house. He was a short, middle-aged man with glasses, currently engulfed in a conversation with someone in one of the vans, who was just out of Robert's sight.

The man looked like quiet and meek, Robert thought. The kind of person who'd probably go to bed early and drink tea instead of coffee in the morning. The kind of person who'd Joseph would be quick to sink his teeth into, he thought bitterly.

As Robert was watching the house, a young boy that had just emerged from it caught his attention. He was short as well and was wearing a neon pink tank top that looked so hideous it made Robert groan in disgust. The youth ran across the yard to the man, all the while speaking with a huge grin on his face.

A father and a son, Robert thought grimly. What was it about this cul-de-sac that attracted fathers?

"Hm?" He looked down when he felt a nudge in his leg. Betsy was standing in front of him, looking up at him. She was panting heavily, and Robert knew what that meant. "Do you want to go out, girl?"

She barked in agreement before running out of the kitchen. When Robert found her, she was sitting near a sideboard in the hallway. What a clever girl, Robert thought with a smile. He fished out her leash from one of the drawers and fastened it to her collar. Then he put his jacket on, took his keys, wallet and knife, and headed out. As he headed to the park, he looked at the house where the new family was moving in. The man and his son were nowhere to be seen.

It was a warm day and the cloudless sky allowed the sun to shine on him mercilessly. Robert pondered if he should buy himself a cold beer to drink while he was walking Betsy, but ultimately decided against it. He'd drink something when he got back home.

When he entered the park, he took the leash off Betsy and she happily scampered off to her favourite spots. He followed her, walking slowly and taking in the peace and quiet. The park was mostly empty at the moment, as most people waited until the heat died down before coming. He could see Craig and Glenn in the far distance, doing some kind of exercises. It always amazed Robert as to how efficiently Craig managed to work out while having a baby strapped to his chest. Well, at least it showed he was a committed father.

His face darkened when he thought about his neighbours. They were all happy fathers, living with their children. Well, Glenn wasn't anymore, though seeing how serious things between him and Craig were going, it was safe to say he'd find himself a step-father to Craig's children quite soon. And while he liked most of his neighbours, seeing them with their children was a daily reminder of the rotten relationship he had with this daughter. It was hard for him to forget his past when it kept getting shoved in his face.

Sometimes he thought about leaving the cul-de-sac, but he knew he could never bring himself to do so. This place was a constant reminder of his past, true, but the thing was ... his past had been good, too. At one point. The house he lived in had been the last place Robert had felt truly happy in. If he moved away, he'd lose that. 

The other reason why he wouldn't move was that, despite everything he was, the people in the cul-de-sac accepted him. And while his neighbours did look him oddly every time he launched into one of his extraordinary tales, no one confronted him about it.

After everything that had happened with Marilyn and Val, it was nice to have people in his life who accepted him.

So it seemed that, at least for the moment, Robert was firmly tethered to this house, in this cul-de-sac. For better or worse.

"Robert!"

He turned around when someone called his name. When he saw the person that was approaching him, his face hardened and he clenched his fists.

"Definitely for the worse," he muttered to himself.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Joseph asked. When Robert gave him no answer, he smiled and continued. "It's rude not to greet someone."

"You didn't greet me either."

"I didn't? I apologize, then. I shall do it now. Good day, Robert."

"Hmph." Robert folded his arms in front of his chest. "What do you want?"

"Small talk is wasted on you, isn't it, Robert?" Even if Joseph was upset by his bluntness, he didn't show it. "I suppose you know that we have a newcomer in the neighbourhood."

"I did notice the vans, yes," Robert admitted warily. "Did you go and bother him yet?"

"Not yet, the man seemed far too busy. We all now what movers are like, don't we?" Joseph chuckled good-humouredly. "I think I'll let the new family settle in before I visit them."

"Lure the man into a false sense of security, you mean?"

"Robert! You make it sounds like I'm some fiend." Joseph smiled. "We've managed to build quite a hospitable atmosphere in our little community and we would be betraying it by not welcoming our new neighbours to the cul-de-sac."

"Fine." Robert wished he was drunk. If he was, then he could easily have strangled Joseph and bury his body in this park. "Is this what you wanted to tell me?" He looked around for Betsy and soon found her. At the moment, she was paying her respects to a rosehip bush. "I'd like to be alone now."

"It's fine, I'll leave you to yourself soon. What I wanted to talk to you about was this - I'm planning on having a barbecue so that our new neighbour could meet everyone, so I'd be very grateful if you came."

"I'm afraid I'll be busy," Robert said in a cold tone.

"I haven't told you when it's going to be yet." 

"My gut tells me I'll be busy whenever it is."

"I see." Joseph still had that infuriating smile on his face that tempted Robert to knock a few of his teeth out. "Well, if you change your mind, you're always welcome. Mary promised to stock up on your favourite drink, it'd be a shame to let all her effort go to waste."

_ Damn _ . That was a low blow. Mary was a good person, underneath all her brashness, and he didn't want to upset her. Besides, he was aware how much she despised her husband's barbecues, so she could probably do with some assistance.

"... fine. I'll think about it."

"Excellent!" Joseph beamed. "I'll take my leave now." He gave Robert a short nod for farewell and made his way to Craig and Glenn.

"Dick ..." Robert mumbled under his breath.

He walked around the park with Betsy some more, avoiding the places he knew Joseph frequented. He felt pissed, though he wasn't sure if he was pissed at himself, or the world in general. It was probably both.

If he'd known what kind of a person Joseph was - or that he was  _ married _ \- Robert would never have allowed what had ultimately happened to happen. He regretted it, though he couldn't blame himself for it, not really. So he blamed Joseph.

There were many rules that Robert was open to breaking. But marriage - that was something he respected. That was something he'd never mess with. Which was why he hated Joseph so much. It wasn't just the fact that he'd kept his marriage a secret to sleep with Robert. The light-hearted way in which Joseph had brushed off what had happened, and then saying that his wife would understand - disregarding her feelings and dignity -  _ that  _ was something Robert couldn't condone.

He sighed and covered his eyes with his hand for a moment. He felt old and tired, suddenly. Thinking about the past had such an effect on him.

"Come on, girl," he spoke to Betsy, whose ears perked up when she heard his voice, "let's go home."

He put the leash on her and led her out of the park. As he was walking to his home, he threw a glance at the newly-bought house. The moving vans were gone, but a few spare boxes still remained on the lawn. He eyed the labels on some of them, trying to figure out something about his new neighbours. Suddenly, he heard a loud cry.

"Doggo!"

It was the teenage boy. He was running through the lawn towards him, jumping over some of the boxes in his haste. Betsy barked, with sparkling eyes, and skipped forward, knowing she'd be getting some attention. The teen knelt down in front of her and cupped her head.

"Aren't you the cutest little dog!" He cooed. "Look at you, with those gorgeous eyes! And those ears!!"

While the youth was exaltedly praising each of Betsy's qualities - adding pets and scratches too, much to her delight - his father emerged from the house. He looked around, worried, before seeing his son. He went to them, smiling lightly when he saw the teen playing with Betsy.

"Phoenix, couldn't you have waited at least one day to bother our new neighbours?"

"Nope." The teen wasn't even looking at Robert or his father, his whole being was focused on the dog.

"It's fine," Robert said. "It looks like Betsy's enjoying the attention anyway."

" _ Betsy _ ?!" Phoenix laughed. He was still wearing the pink tank top from before, which clashed starkly with his bright ginger hair. "Man, what a lame name. Like, you should have named her something badass!"

"Phoenix, please behave." The man sighed and turned to Robert. "I'm sorry, my son can be quite the handful."

"It's fine, I get it. Kids, huh?" Robert smiled. Phoenix's behaviour was getting on his nerves, but for some reason, he decided to be merciful with his father. The man seemed like he had too much on his plate as it was.

"Yeah, you can say that again." His new neighbour huffed in exasperation. "I'm Nathan, by the way. Nathan Lear."

"Robert Small."

Curious despite himself, Robert studied the man before him. Nathan was shorter than him, and leaner too. He gave off the impression that he was soft-hearted, with a relaxed expression on his face and gentle dark eyes behind a pair of thick round glasses. On the whole, he looked like the kind of person who was completely unequipped to deal with a kid like Phoenix.

"Nice to meet you, Robert." Nathan smiled. "Do you live around here?"

"Across the street, actually." Robert turned around, indicating to his house.

"That's cool, you're so close!" Phoenix said. "Can I buy your dog, by the way?"

"No."

Phoenix pouted lightly, and turned his attention back to Betsy. Nathan sighed and gave Robert an apologetic look.

"Come on, Phoenix," he said, "let go back to unpacking."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes. We agreed we wouldn't have dinner until we unpack, remember?”

Phoenix rolled his eyes but got up. He blew a kiss at Betsy.

"Bye-bye, gorgeous!"

"Well, it was nice meeting you," Nathan told Robert.

"Yeah, same."

Nathan put a hand on Phoenix's shoulder and the two walked back to their house. Robert watched them for a few seconds before heading to his own house as well. As he was crossing the street, Phoenix's clear voice reached his ears.

_ "He looks like he's in a gang, doesn't he?" _

An annoying brat, Robert thought. Definitely looked like a trouble-maker, with no care for authority. He imagined Nathan had a tough time keeping him in check. Or perhaps it was Nathan's wife who was the strict parent ... though Robert doubted there was a wife in the picture. As he hadn't failed to notice, Nathan wasn't wearing a wedding ring.

 


	2. Robert 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joseph's barbecues are never fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter, again from Robert's POV!
> 
> Some notes before we start the chapter! I kinda forgot to explain in the previous chapter, so I'm gonna do it now - Nathan is NOT the Dadsona. My Dadsona in the story is the (so far) background character of Glenn, who is happily in a relationship with Craig.
> 
> Also, I don't feel comfortable wit the fact that Joseph is married, so I haven't done his route in the game. So my portrayal of Joseph and Mary may be a bit out of character, and I apologize for it.
> 
> Anyway, with this out of the way, please, enjoy the chapter! :) Leave a comment if you like it!

Joseph's barbecues were never fun.

At least, that was what Robert thought. The others seemed to like them. Joseph liked to play the perfect host, always making sure to provide enough food and drinks for his guests, as well as his own yard for the kids to thrash. The other dads in the cul-de-sac also welcomed the opportunity to get together and share some parenting tips over burgers and beer.

But it was exactly these sort of conversations that left Robert drained. He always felt that, being the only one who had no child to bring to these gatherings, he was out of his element among the other fathers. And while normally being childless was not something that caused him turmoil – he'd long ago discovered the freedom that came with it - he was still painfully aware that his lone figure stuck out even more than Damien in his Victorian attire at the barbecues.

Robert didn't' hate his neighbours. They were nice people. At least, _most_ of them were. He quite enjoyed their company, occasionally. Brian loved setting up playdates for his dog Maxwell with Betsy, and Hugo always had interesting stories from work to share. And Damien was alright too, in small doses. But the fact that they all seemed to handle their lives much better than he did his own added to Robert's misery and ate at his confidence, leaving a hole in him that not even alcohol could fill .

He often suspected that Joseph invited him to his barbecues only for Robert to see how much of a mess he was, as if he didn't know it already.

The one beam of light into this tedious and upsetting experience was Mary. She loathed the barbecues even more than him, and she usually ended up dragging him off to the kitchen to drink in peace. Hopefully, she'd do so today too. Robert felt that no matter what happened, he'd badly need a drink or two.

The party was in full swing when he stepped in the yard. That didn't surprise him. He'd deliberately arrived an hour late, so that he wouldn't have to endure Joseph's presence for too long. One of Craig's daughters - Robert could never tell them apart, but it was the one that painfully reminded him of Val - ran past him, almost knocking into him, and he had to clutch the bowl he was holding to keep it safe. The girl apologized hastily as she ran off.

Joseph, standing over the grill, waved at him - a gesture which made Robert curse under his breath. He went to put the salad with the other food. It was a store-bought mix of shredded cabbage and carrots which he hadn't even bothered to season. He doubted anyone would even look at it. No one came to barbecues to eat salad anyway! Robert grabbed a can of beer from a cooler near the table, and then made his way to the end of the yard. There he would be as far away from Joseph as he could be.

The farthest-from-Joseph corner of the yard turned out to already be occupied, by a man with round glasses and an insufferable child.

"Oh hey, look, it's Betsy's human!"

Phoenix was once again wearing his atrocious pink tank top, along with a pair of equally horrendous yellow shorts. The clothes, paired with his ginger hair and bright green eyes, gave him an unnaturally bright appearance, like a beam of light directed at one's face. Just looking at him made Robert's eyes ache. He wondered if Phoenix was just teasing him, or if he truly didn't know his name.

Nathan, standing by his son's side, had a much more mellow appearance. He was wearing a pair of beige cargo pants and a white T-shirt. He couldn't look more like a _Dad_ even if he wanted to. He didn't look like an interesting person at all, and Robert would have probably walked past him on any other day. Right now, however, something compelled him to stop in his tracks.

"Hello, Robert," Nathan greeted him with a warm smile. The drink in his cup was non-alcoholic, Robert noticed. An unwelcome discovery. He would have preferred it if Nathan was a drinker. "How've you been?"

Robert just shrugged, offering some unintelligible mumbles in return. Phoenix snorted, a sound that made Robert's skin crawl. He gave the teen a deadly glare. The boy's cheekiness was starting to get on his nerves.

"This is such a nice gathering, isn't it?" Nathan continued, obviously intent on making small talk. Robert hated small talk, but he found Nathan's friendly remarks a much better alternative to his son's amused snickers. "We used to live in an apartment building before we came here. Our neighbours there weren't as friendly, and we never used to get together like that."

"Yeah, we used to think all those Coca-Cola commercials were a bunch of crap!" Phoenix added and laughed. "Where's your dog, by the way? You should have brought her. Bet she would have loved a patty or two!"

"She would have, but I'd never bring her here," Robert grumbled.

While the thought of letting Betsy shit all over Joseph's oh-so-perfect yard was a pleasant one, he'd never risk his pet's health by putting her in close proximity to the man's sociopathic kids.

"Well, you don't have your dog, so you don't have my attention either." Phoenix smiled at him and then walked away, making a beeline for the food.

Save for a tired sigh, Nathan didn't react to his son's departure at all. Phoenix's bluntness wasn't something new to him, Robert realized, though it was obvious that it made him uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry about that," Nathan said with a soft voice. "Phoenix can be a bit impulsive sometimes, though I don't really think that he means to offend anyone. He's just painfully honest, I think."

"That might be worse. Lots of people can't handle honesty."

"Are you one of them, Robert?" Nathan asked with an amused smile and Robert could help but laugh out loud. "You don't seem like someone who'd let a teenager ruffle their feathers."

"Nah, I'm made of tough stuff." Robert took pride in himself for being able to accept the truth, no matter how ugly it was. After all, the last years of his marriage had been nothing but tears, disappointments, and harsh truths. "You really think your son should be left on his own?"

"No, not really. But he is 15 already, and he strives to be free and independent. While still eating my food and relying on me paying for everything, of course."

Robert smiled lightly. An independent kid ... he knew what hid behind these words. What Nathan had truly meant to say was that his offspring was out of control. And it seemed that he was right - Robert looked at the drinks table just in time to see Phoenix sneaking off, a can of beer in one hand. The sight reminded him of how thirsty he was. The beer he'd taken upon his arrival was already gone; he now only held an empty container.

"Kids are tough when they get to this age," Robert mused. Damien's son had been on the brink of getting expelled from school a couple of years ago, he recalled. It was something about a teacher's car, but he couldn't remember the details. Had Lucien stolen it or tried to burn it down? "You might do well to be stricter with him," he added.

"Too late now, I think." Nathan laughed. "Besides, with Phoenix, it might make things worse." He took a sip from his cup and looked at Robert. "You seem to know a lot about children, Robert. Do you have any of your own?"

The question made him flinch slightly. Immediately, Val's face came to his mind. _No_ , it wasn't her face, not really - he hadn't seen in some years, she was bound to look different now. She was a grown woman now, with a career. But in his mind she'd remained the serious little girl from the photograph he kept in his house.

He thought about her from time to time, more often than he liked to admit. He'd sometimes wonder if she thought about him at all. And if she did, what did she feel when his face appeared in her mind? Did she feel sorrow, like he did, or resentment?

Nathan was looking at him. Of course, he wasn't aware of the turmoil in Robert's mind. Of course, he didn't know what had happened between Robert and his daughter. So, _of course_ , Robert had no right to be angry with him.

Despite this, he was.

He crunched the empty beer can. It split in a few places, and the jagged edges cut deep into his skin. Nathan looked down at Robert's hands and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the blood seeping between his fingers.

"Oh!" He patted his pockets. "Ah, I don't seem to have a handkerchief with me ..."

"'s fine. I'll go wash up."

He hadn't meant to cut himself, but it was a lucky accident, as it gave Robert an opportunity to leave Nathan. He headed inside the house, blood and beer dripping from him onto the tiled floor. He threw the smashed can in the trash and washed his hands in the kitchen sink. He let the water run until his fingers stopped bleeding. The cold water left his hands numb, and he wished it could do the same with his heart.

He had no right to be annoyed with Nathan, he knew that. The other neighbours had long ago learned that family was a sensitive topic, one that they should avoid with Robert. But Nathan was still new in the cul-de-sac, and it was only natural to ask such a question. Robert was aware of all that, yet he couldn't help the anger and spite bubbling in his chest.

He badly needed a drink. A _strong_ one, at that.

Like an answer to an unsaid prayer, Mary came to him as soon as he'd stepped back outside. She seemed to have been looking for him, as she was carrying two glasses of wine. She gave one to Robert and then stood beside him. The two watched the others for a few minutes in silence, drinking their wine.

"The new guy's kinda square, don'tcha think?" Mary asked suddenly.

She was slurring her words slightly. Robert looked at her and thought that she looked tired. There were definitely dark circles under her eyes that she hadn't managed to conceal very well. A sleepless night, or something else?

"You ok, Mary?"

"Yeah. Crish kept me up all night." She gave him a thin smile and then repeated her question. "So the new guy ... kinda a bore, right?"

Robert frowned at her attempt to change the subject, but said nothing about it. After all, he'd rather brood in silence than talk about his problems too. He took a sip from his wine. It was warm and overly sweet; all it managed to do was make him more thirsty.

"I'm surprised you'd think so," he said. "The guy looks like the sort you'd love to terrorize."

"Nah, too old. I like them young and clueless." Mary smirked as she twirled her glass. "Besides, I don't hate myself enough to get involved with him and his kids."

"Kids?" Robert was startled. He wasn't aware Nathan had more than one child. The man hadn't mentioned it . "That guy has to deal with another kid on top of that ginger menace?"

"Yup. Has two twin boys." Mary took a large swig of her wine and some of it dripped from the corner of her mouth and on her blouse. She paid no attention to the stain. "The redhead ain't so bad. Has some spice in him. But the other one's messed up, y'know?"

"I don't. Haven't even seen the kid."

"He was around here somewhere." Mary looked around and then suddenly nudged Robert harshly in the ribs. "Over there, see? With Damien and Brian's kid."

Rubbing the aching side of his torso, Robert turned to where Mary had swayed her almost empty glass. There,between Damien and Daisy, stood a short teenage boy. Robert silently regarded his ash blond hair and rather plain clothes, and noted that the boy was wearing a sweater vest, a piece of garment that no one under sixty would wear. He then turned back to Mary.

"You sure that's really him?"

"Positive. Hold on."

Mary departed from his side and stumbled through the yard. When she reached the group, she grabbed the blond teen and dragged him away from Damien, not really bothering to offer anyone an explanation. Helpless in her iron grip, the boy that was supposedly Phoenix's twin had no choice but follow her as she returned to Robert.

"There!" Mary announced triumphantly. She pushed the frightened boy slightly forward, so that Robert could take a good look at him. "This is … eh … Marlin?"

"Micha," the boy corrected her. Released from his captor's grasp, he stood awkwardly between Mary and Robert, with his hands clutched together. A timid creature, Robert thought. It was more than obvious that Micha wanted nothing more but to leave. But, unlike his brother, he didn't have the balls to do it.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Mary rolled her eyes, and then gave the teen a stern look. 'Why do you look so scared? Think I might do something to you?"

Micha's eyes widened slightly. He flushed and, in desperation, looked at Robert for support.

"N-no, of course that I'm not thinking that, Mrs. Christiansen! I-I ... that's ... I'm sure you wouldn't do anything!" His voice was soft, but it was hard to hear his words, as he mumbled a lot, like someone who didn't want people to listen to what he was saying. "I-I … I was simply startled, that's all."

The boy had barely finished speaking when Robert decided - he liked Micha. That kid could not be more different than Phoenix, and at the moment, he felt admiration for anyone who was different than the brat. Micha was quiet and polite, and made sure to show respect to those that were older than him. It was obvious that as much of a cliche the good and evil twin joke was, it was true for this pair.

At the same time, the youth's timidness and anxiety were so amusing that Robert knew he had to take advantage of it.

"I have to say, Mary, I like this one better than Phoenix."

As he talked, he gave Mary a little wink. Mary immediately understood. She leaned closer to Micha and put an arm on his shoulder.

"You hear that Micha?"

"Um …. y-yes. Ah … I'm really flattered, Mr. Small." It seemed like Micha's voice had a tendency to become squeaky when he was nervous. Oh, this was just _perfect_!

"You should be," Robert said, masterfully keeping his voice steady and serious. "It means that I'll let you live."

Micha blinked a few times. He looked confused and for a while, seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Um … I'm sorry, I … I don't think I understand?"

"Micha, please pay attention," Mary joined in. "Didn't you wonder why that house your dad just bought was even for sale? It's because Robert kills every family that buys it."

"Um … t-this … I'm sorry, but you must be joking, right?" Micha's eyes, dark brown like his father's, were darting from Mary to Robert.

"No, we're dead serious. Well, actually, my victims are." Robert grinned when he saw Mary rolled her eyes. _Lame_ , she mouthed at him behind the teen's back. Micha didn't seem to notice. He was frowning slightly, like he was trying to figure out a complicated problem.

"But … if it's true … w-well … someone would have found out, right?" Micha bit his lower lip. "I mean ... for someone to be able to … k-kill so much people without being found out ... that's against common sense!"

"You sure about that?" Robert smiled. "Lots of serial killers go unknown."

"And besides, everyone here knows." Mary waved a hand around. "We don't mind. It's actually quite beneficial to us. Did you know that the best compost is made from human corpses? This is why our yards are the best in the whole city. But-" she leaned closer to Micha and put her finger to her lips for a second "-don't go around telling anyone, ok? Or else you mind end up as food for Damien's roses."

Micha looked startled. He was inching away from the duo, though judging by his face, he hadn't fully believed Robert's story.

"B-but ... it doesn't make any sense ..." He protested quietly.

"Oh, yeah?" Robert grinned, determined.

He took out one of his knives, a simple butterfly knife, which he flipped open skilfully. He had a long story prepared about how this was the knife with which his estranged father, who used to be a grifter, had taught him how to slit the throats of animals. But there was no need for a story. When he saw the blade, Micha's eyes grew wide and he took a step back instinctively.

Mary had been caught off guard by the knife too, but she at least managed to keep her cool. She forced a smile on her face and patted Micha on the back.

"Now, don't let us detain you much longer. Go and have fun, dear. Oh, and if you could put these away for me?" She handed him their empty glasses.

"Uh … sure..."

Micha gave Robert one last wary look before walking away. Once he was out of their sight, Mary and Robert burst out laughing.

"You think we were too cruel on him?" She asked.

"Life's cruel. Let him figure it out early. It'll make him a stronger man."

"True." She looked at Robert and her smile faded a bit. "You think the knife bit was too much?"

"Well, he wasn't buying it, so I had to do something." Robert shrugged. He folded the knife and put it back in his pocket.

"True."

Mary had a good reason to be concerned - Robert never employed his knives in his stories. It was reckless to pull out a knife in front of a kid, and something that Robert had never done before. He knew he'd been wrong to do so, but he couldn't resist the temptation to use Micha to punish Nathan for bringing up his daughter earlier.

Now he felt strangely at peace, with the tension in his chest having lifted off. He left Mary and went to take another beer from the cooler. On his way, he walked past Nathan, who was with Craig and Glenn. He and Craig were discussing the difficulties of raising twins. When he saw Robert, Nathan gave him a shy smile, and Robert responded with a friendly nod. Now that he'd probably scarred Micha for life, he didn't harbour any ill feelings towards Nathan anymore.

He took not one, but three beers from the cooler. One can lasted him for such a short time, and it was a hassle to keep going back and forth for more. He pocketed the extra beers before opening the third can and taking a long swig of it.

Someone called his name. Robert stiffened, thinking it might be Nathan or Joseph, but to his relief it turned out to be Damien. Robert didn't mind him, though he did find the man's attire and mannerisms a bit too much. Mary, however, liked Damien, and Robert trusted her judgement.

Besides, he'd seen for himself that Damien was a good person. Betsy had had some health problems a couple of months ago, problems so serious that they could have led to her death. Thankfully, Damien had put him in contact with a specialist who managed to intervene just in time. After the whole ordeal had ended - and Betty had returned to the healthy, happy dog that she was - Robert had tried to thank Damien for all he'd done, but the other man had refused to take any credit, merely explaining that he'd done what was needed of him.

Damien came to him and after exchanging some pleasantries, asked how Betsy was doing.

"Much better." Robert finished his beer and fished the second can out of his pocket. He opened it, pretending not to have noticed the flash of disapproval in the other's eyes. "Thanks for giving me that vet's number. Betsy would have been a goner if it weren't for him."

Damien gave him a warm smile.

"There's no need to thank me, Robert," he said in his usual flamboyant manner. "I believe that we are responsible for our animal companion's eudaemonia. Besides, I merely put you in contact with the right person. It was the veterinarian who truly saved your dog. It's he who deserves your gratitude."

"Already thanked him."

Robert had brought the doctor a bottle of expensive liquor as a gift. Then they'd gone out for drinks and had ended up spending the night together in a sleazy motel. He wondered if Damien, who seemed to be good friends with the veterinarian, knew about it.

He didn't want Damien to ask about it, so he changed the subject.

"Met the new guy yet?"

"Indeed I have. And one of his sons. A very charming and intelligent young man, I found him."

"That must have been the blond kid," Robert concluded. He frowned slightly as he tried to remember the boy's name, but all he could see in his mind was his frightened face. "What was his name again ... Michelle?"

"Micha," Damien corrected him. "It's very fitting, don't you think?"

"Huh?"

"The name. It means 'one who is similar'. Of course, given that its origins are Hebrew, the meaning is in relation to God. But in a broader sense, it's a very fitting name for someone who is one half of a pair of twins."

"Huh ... never really thought about it. Don't really care much about name meanings."

"I think you ought. Your name carries a very interesting meaning-"

"Don't really wanna hear about it." Robert interrupted him. He had nothing against Damien, but he found talking to him for an extended period of time quite exhausting. There was also something about the way Damien spoke that brought back unpleasant memories of his middle school English teacher.

"That's a shame." Damien wasn't offended. "Now, if you permit, I shall take my leave. Lucien has been out of my sight for far too long. And I have a faint suspicion he might be up to some mischief."

"Yeah, he probably is."

Robert had caught a glimpse of Damien's kid earlier. He'd been with Phoenix, which was unsettling. From what he'd seen, the ginger teen was a bit of a trouble-maker too, so seeing the two boys together was more than a bit concerning. One could only imagine what kind of mischief they'd cook up together.


	3. Micha 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Micha and Phoenix walk around the cul-de-sac and discuss their new neighbours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit long, and it's centered around Micha and Phoenix, but I do hope you enjoy it. They have a very embarrassing conversation about the dads, lol! I hope I didn't make it as cringy as I think I did!
> 
> If you could leave a comment, that'd be super nice of you!

It was evening, though one could not tell so without looking at the time. The sky was still a bright shade of blue, and even though the sun was ready to dip below the horizon, it was still light enough for even the smallest of details to stand out clearly.

A flock of birds passed above them, their chirping quiet and almost sleepy. Micha followed their flight until they disappeared, and then turned his attention back to Phoenix. The two had gone out with the intention to acquaint themselves with the area they had moved into. Their father had been against it at first, fearing – very justly, in Micha's opinion – that Phoenix wouldn't be able to resist the urge to do something mischievous. The fact that it had been Phoenix who'd suggested the idea of going out had strengthened their father's suspicions. In the end, he'd relented, but had made it perfectly clear that he was holding Micha responsible for their behaviour.

While others might find that unfair, Micha merely accepted it as part of his duties. After all, the strong attachment he had for his brother didn't stop him from realizing how reckless Phoenix could be.

Micha had been tasked with being his brother's common sense since they were children. That, along with their close bond, had made him quite knowledgeable about Phoenix's moods. Even Phoenix was sometimes left stunned when Micha demonstrated his knowledge.

He could sense that Phoenix was growing restless. He wasn't surprised, in fact, he felt as if he'd been subconsciously expecting it. The problem was that after the initial excitement of moving into a new home had subsided, the cul-de-sac was rather unequipped to hold Phoenix's interest. It offered little more than a circle of houses with meticulous yards. Micha could appreciate the peacefulness of the area, but he knew Phoenix couldn't. His brother yearned for something loud, bright, and exciting. And none of that could be found here.

Micha was worried that this dissatisfaction could lead to Phoenix doing something reckless. His brother wasn't a bad person, but he was very dependent on his feelings. He couldn't stand boredom.

Micha turned to Phoenix with a determined look on his face. He wasn't going to let Phoenix get in trouble!

"This place is pretty nice, don't you think?" He asked with a smile. Perhaps if he talked about all the positive things about their new home, it would cheer his brother up. "It's so _green_! I mean, it's still part of the city, of course, but it does have a lot of nature around it."

The cul-de-sac was not only close to the ocean, but to a wooded area just outside the city as well - a fact that Phoenix surely appreciated. He enjoyed hiking and camping, and would surely be glad at having the outdoors so nearby.

"Yeah, that's nice," Phoenix agreed. Micha noted that his face brightened up as he spoke. "I mean, it's a pretty sweet neighbourhood, don't get me wrong. It's just ... so _normal_ , y'know?" With his hands pushed in his pockets, he gave way to his feelings by kicking a small pebble. It rolled ahead of them and bounced off a fence. "Like, I can't see anything fun or exciting ever happening here."

"Oh, don't be like that," Micha said softly. "We just moved here, Phoenix. I'm sure that once we get to know the town and the people, you'll feel differently. And besides, that barbecue at Mr. Christiansen's was fun, right? I even heard you saying you liked it."

"Yeah, it was pretty awesome. But it's so suburban!" Phoenix said the word with a bit of an exaggerated shudder before sighing wistfully. "Remember our old place? Now that was fun!"

Micha looked at his brother wide-eyed. He and Phoenix had a completely different outlook most of the time, but he hadn't expected Phoenix would ever consider their old home _fun_.

"Phoenix, you must be joking!" He exclaimed. "Our old place was horrible! Remember that one time a man got robbed right under our window?"

"Yeah!" Phoenix grinned. "We had to go to the police as witnesses. It was so awesome!"

"It wasn't," he argued. "We were seven years old and I for one was scared to death!"

"How can you say that? What kind of a seven-year-old isn't happy to be in a police department? Like, I got to see all those cops at work and it was really so exciting! I wrote a paper about it for school."

"Yeah, I remember that ..."

Micha was amazed how differently his brother felt about their old home. For him, the place was nothing short of hell - one of the many apartments in a run-down building, stuck in the middle of a dirty and loud street. Just the memory of it brought cold sweat to his skin.

His brother must have noticed that, because he suddenly pulled him in for a tight hug and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"I guess I shouldn't be complaining too much," Phoenix said with a smile. "I mean, our new house is definitely better than the flat. Hey, we even got separate rooms, right?"

Micha smiled.

"It was about time," he said. "I think our personalities are just too different for us to be able to share a room."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Phoenix agreed laughing. "It's gonna be lonely though."

Micha agreed. He and Phoenix had shared a bedroom since they were - and even before that, as Phoenix sometimes joked. It was a crude joke, Micha thought, but true nonetheless.

"I think you'll get used to it," he told Phoenix. "You might even like it. At least you'll get to keep your room as messy as you want it."

Phoenix smiled and squeezed Micha tightly.

"That's true. I can imagine it'll be easier for you too. Now you can keep all your stuff in perfect order." He smiled and kissed Micha on the cheek. "You're really great, little brother. I know I've been kinda a dick lately, just moping about this place. It's really sweet how patient you've been with me."

"It's fine, Phoenix." Micha smiled. "I can't be mad at you for something so natural as you being gloomy. But if I can be frank, I do think you're a little unfair. I mean, you should give this place a chance before deciding that you don't like it."

"I know, I know. It's just kinda hard to leave home like that, you know? I mean, we lived there for 10 years - a lot! - and then suddenly we pack up and leave everyone we know behind. " He gave Micha a sad look. "Like, I know it's a new beginning and all that, but I kinda miss my friends. It sucks that we had to move."

"I know it does. But I don't think dad really had a choice, you know ..." Micha said quietly.

"You're right there. Honestly, I don't really blame dad for it. Besides," he nudged Micha in the ribs, "this place isn't so bad, right?"

"Well, I told you it's not. Our house is pretty nice, and the cul-de-sac is very-"

"Yeah, yeah, it's great and all that." Phoenix interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "But I was talking about something else."

"Oh?" Micha was intrigued. Their new home had many good qualities, but he wasn't sure what Phoenix was hinting at. "What did you have in mind?"

"The dilfs, of course!"

Phoenix made the statement rather pompously, with a clear voice and a sweeping gesture. The grandiose manner in which he made this statement indicated that whatever a dilf was, it was something very important. To Micha, however, that word was unfamiliar and only caused him confusion.

"Dilfs?" He repeated. "What's that?"

His brother gaped at him.

"You don't know?" He asked.

"No." Micha shook his head. "I've never heard that word before."

He gave his brother a suspicious look. Phoenix enjoyed coming up with ridiculous - and sometimes a bit insulting - nicknames for people. He took pleasure not only from the novelty of creating a nickname, but also from the confusion it caused when he used it.

However, this time seemed that his confusion only served to surprise Phoenix.

"It's our neighbours, Micha", he explained. "They're all dilfs."

"..."

Micha's suspicion grew stronger and more defined. Phoenix was leering in a familiar sort of way, and he was now certain that whatever the meaning of this odd word was, it wasn't something _appropriate_. While he and Phoenix didn't share an unexplained telepathy between them, like twins were often said to do, he knew his brother well enough to be able to figure out what was in his mind.

"Phoenix, I do hope you're not being immature right now," Micha said, frowning slightly.

Before responding, Phoenix let out an amused chuckle.

"Relax, bro. This is a real word, I swear! In fact, it's very popular – I'm just really shocked you don't know what it means. I mean, I thought everyone knew. Hell, I bet even _dad_ knows!"

"Well, I don't." Micha pouted. He was annoyed that his brother didn't seem so eager to explain the word to him. In fact, Phoenix looked amused by Micha's struggle. "So what does it mean, then?"

"Dilf is an older man that you find attractive. Well, sorta." Phoenix chuckled again and then nudged Micha in the ribs again.

"So … when you say that we have dilfs here, you mean ..." Micha trailed off, rubbing his aching side. His cheeks flared and he turned to Phoenix wide-eyed. " _Phoenix_! This is highly inappropriate!"

"C'mon, Micha, don't tell me that moving into a neighbourhood with so many single dads hasn't got you thinking!"

"Thinking?" Micha repeated confused. His face cleared. "Oh? You mean that dad could end up dating one of them?"

"Dad?" Now it was Phoenix's turn to blink in confusion. "Oh, right! Dad!" He chuckled. "I was actually talking about you and me, kid."

"Huh? You and me?" Micha flushed in indignation. Really, Phoenix was just impossible! "Phoenix, you must be joking! This is such an inappropriate thing to say!"

"What?" Phoenix gave him an innocent smile. "I'm not saying we should _do_ anything. But it wouldn't hurt if we fantasized a little, right?"

" _You_ can go ahead and fantasize all you want. Please don't involve _me_ in it!"

How could Phoenix be so brazen to even talk about something so scandalous? These men, their neighbours … they were at least twenty years older than them. They had _children_! How could Phoenix discuss them so calmly?

"Boo, you're so dull!" Phoenix pouted. "C'mon, Micha, you must have noticed how good-looking all the dads around here are."

"I …"

Micha hesitated. He didn't want to admit that there was a grain of truth in what Phoenix was saying, but he couldn't overcome his innate sincerity. And while he'd never as much as thought about a romantic relationship with an older man, he _had_ noticed that their neighbours were all handsome. However, he'd regarded only the aesthetic aspect of that fact. He hoped that his brother understood that.

"They do seem to take good care of themselves," Micha said carefully.

"Right?" Phoenix grinned. "And let me tell you, there's something sexy about an older gentleman who has his life together. There's something _solid_ about him, y'know?"

"Phoenix, this is silly. You're 15. And those men are middle-aged!"

"There's no minimum age for fantasies." Phoenix nudged him. "So, what do you say?"

"Excuse me?"

Phoenix rolled his eyes at Micha's confusion.

"Oh, don't play dumb! Even _you_ should know what I'm talking about." He pinched Micha on the cheek. "Who's your top dilf of the lot?"

Micha's eyes widened at the question. He flushed and stepped away from his brother.

"Phoenix, I am not participating in such a conversation!" He looked around, nervous that someone might have overheard them. What would their neighbours think if they heard them discussing their attractiveness so callously?

"Ugh!" Phoenix groaned. "It's not like we're doing something illegal. Like, it doesn't hurt to talk about it, you know? But if you don't wanna, I guess I can do it for you too." He paused and tapped his lips in deep thought. "Hmm … unfortunately, Micha, you don't have such good luck with men. The dads who would be most compatible with you are both unavailable."

"Oh?" Micha was slightly intrigued despite himself. "And who are they?"

"Well, Father Blond – get it? - seems the best match for you. He's polite, friendly, a family man, a generous and kind person altogether. But," he pursed his lips, "he's married. Kinda screws up things a bit, huh?"

"Definitely." Micha smiled. He may not be enjoying his brother's little game, but he was grateful that at least Phoenix didn't consider him the kind of person who'd be dating a married man. "And who's my other unavailable option?"

"The Teacher!" Phoenix announced triumphantly. "But he's out because of your weird thing about facial hair."

"Right." Micha blushed. "What about you, then?"

"Hold on, I'm not done with you!" Phoenix chuckled as he pinched Micha's cheek. "Those two were the ones most compatible with you, but honestly, Micha, judging by your past crushes, you never go for the _compatible_ ones."

"What are you talking about?"

"Let me explain. You have this attraction to bad people. Like, remember that basketball player at our old school? He was a violent dullard, and a homophobe to boot, yet you actually wanted to date him!"

"W-well … he wasn't really that bad." Micha defended. "And I was sure that if he just … I don't know, if I explained things to him, he might have changed his mind?"

"Yeah, you always think so." Phoenix shook his head. "So, my dear brother, I'm sad to say that based on all the evidence, the dilf you would hypothetically chase after is …. The Leather-Clad Rebel!"

"Do you mean Mr. Small?" Micha was slightly shocked. "I … I wouldn't do that! He's so … so ..."

"I know. And yes, you would," Phoenix insisted. "Face it, you always go for the bad ones."

Micha regarded his brother's words in silence. Phoenix had been right when he said that the former schoolmate he'd had a crush on had been a bad sort, but it was still unfair of him to decide that this lone example could determine Micha's future dating choices.

"That's … a very hurtful thing to say, Phoenix." Micha said quietly.

"I don't mean to hurt you, little brother. You know that." Phoenix smiled. "Besides, I have good news for you! Because you see, there's another alternative for you. There's a dilf who fits all the requirements and is just perfect for you. And this dilf is – Vamp Dad!"

"Vamp … Oh, you mean Mr. Bloodmarch?"

Suddenly, Micha's face reddened. His brother didn't fail to notice that. He grinned and his eyes twinkled merrily. He looked ready to say something, but to Micha's relief he changed his mind, choosing instead to snort in amusement.

"What did you just think about, hm?" He asked.

"N-nothing!"

"Aw, come on, you can tell me. We're brothers, after all. You can share your secrets with me."

"I could do that, but I'd really like to turn this conversation to _you_ ," Micha said. "You seemed to have enjoyed analysing my preferences thoroughly, but what about yours, hm, Phoenix?"

"Oh, my answer is simple. You see, unlike you, my dear boy, I am attracted only to people I know I'm compatible with."

"Alright, so who is your pick?"

"Mat, of course." Phoenix raised a hand and continued, ticking off items on an imaginary list. "Nice face, nice bod, cool dreads, sexy tattoos … plus, in this economy, it would be madness to pass up the opportunity of free hot beverages for life." He grinned.

"That's rather unscrupulous, don't you think? Being with someone because they can give you free stuff."

"I also think he's pretty hot. The free drinks is just a cool bonus." Phoenix smiled.

"He has a daughter our age."

"So? You picked Damien and his son is older than us."

"I didn't pick him!"

"Well, you didn't say anything when I picked him for you, so that counts as you picking him."

Micha sighed. He wished that Phoenix would be a bit more mature. It was so embarrassing to hear him talking about something so shamelessly. And out in the open too, where any of their new neighbours might hear them! He shuddered slightly and glanced around, almost expecting to see everyone out in their yards and listening in on their conversation. He was glad to see that the cul-de-sac was empty.

"You're not really going to do anything, right?" He asked Phoenix. "I mean, what you just said … it was all hypothetical, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it was." Phoenix nodded. "Don't worry about it. But you did get my attention with the dad thing."

"Which dad thing?"

Micha was lost. All they'd been talking about, after all, could be considered "dad" things. With Phoenix's habit of expressing his thoughts so vaguely, it was hard to understand what he was talking about most of the time.

"Our dad thing. I mean, our dad. You said he could end up dating one of them."

"Oh, well, I don't really _think_ it. It's just that when you said that most of our neighbours are single, I assumed you were alluding to the possibility of dad dating one of them, that's all. But … um … is dad um … you know?" He couldn't say it out loud. It was awkward to discuss his own father's sexuality. It was awkward to discuss sexuality, period.

Phoenix, it seemed, had no such qualms.

"Yeah, that could be a problem," he agreed, nodding sagely. "Dad never said he liked guys."

"But he wouldn't really say that to us, would he?"

"Fair point. Do parents ever come out to their children? They should, but do they actually do it?" Phoenix tossed his head and then continued. "Dad hasn't really dated anyone since mom, has he? Well, except that woman from his work all those years ago. Remember?"

Micha flushed. He turned away from his brother. Phoenix had just brought up a very embarrassing moment from their childhood, one that he was loath to talk about. He stared at she sky, noting that it was finally getting darker. They should go back home soon, he thought.

Meanwhile his brother kept on talking.

"Did they even date back then? We were so little, we probably wouldn't have figured it out even if they did. What was the woman's name again? I can't really remember. Jemma or Jannet, I think?"

"Jane." Micha's voice was soft and quiet.

"Right!" Phoenix grinned. "I gotta say, this doesn't look good for our neighbours. Dad seems to prefer women for now." He chuckled. "Though I have to say, if I were straight, I'd seriously reconsider my sexuality if I lived at a place like this."

"This is a really embarrassing thing to be talking about," Micha said.

"Nah, it ain't. Like ... sex and stuff like that are normal. They're natural, you know?" Phoenix gave Micha his sweetest smile.

"Maybe, but it's still inappropriate to talk about them." Micha insisted. He gave his brother an unsure look. "You ... you're not really going to do anything about it, right? I mean, this was all just hypothetical, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Phoenix nodded. "I mostly did it to mess with you, Micha. You really need to stop being so shy about stuff."

"I'm not shy. I just feel that there are certain things that shouldn't be discussed so openly."

"So you're boring. That's even worse." Phoenix huffed. "Really, Micha, you're not a kid any more. You should try going on dates. With proper guys, I mean."

"I-I don't really think I'll enjoy that."

"Well, you gotta start sooner or later," Phoenix pointed out. "You don't wanna be one of those guys that starts dating in college and then ends up marrying their first partner."

"Why not? That sounds sweet."

"Yeah, but it's so boring! You gotta live a little before settling down, y'know? You gotta meet people, you gotta sample all kinds of experiences before settling down for good. Otherwise you might end up in your 50s regretting all the things you didn't do."

"That's not a universal experience for people," Micha retorted. "Maybe that's true for someone who wants to do these kinds of things - like you, Phoenix. But I'm not like that. I don't really need excitement - at least, not in the way you see it."

"Ugh!" Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Next you'll be telling me that you're saving yourself for marriage."

"I don't think I'd go that far," Micha laughed. "Though you have to admit there is something sweet and romantic about waiting for your true love."

"I guess it is pretty romantic, but it's so impractical. And it's very unfair to your partner."

"How so?"

"Well, it's all good to be holding out and be 'pure' or whatever," he said, grimacing at the word _pure_. "But like, if this person is truly The One, then isn't it kinda shitty of you to have zero experience with relationships? I mean ... let's face it, if you hold out on dating, you won't know what to do once you end up in a relationship, right?"

"Waiting until marriage isn't just about the physical aspect of the relationship," Micha pointed out. "I suppose for some people it is about keeping themselves pure, but it goes beyond that. It also means exploring love and relationships for the first time with someone special, and sharing the excitement of doing so with them." He smiled. "And besides, if the person is truly The One, as you say, I'm pretty certain they wouldn't mind my inexperience."

"Yeah, I guess. They'd probably be cool about that." Phoenix smiled and nudged Micha in the ribs. "But you're not really gonna do it, are you?"

"No, I don't think so." He shook his head with a smile. "But I'm not going to start dating right now. I have school to focus on."

"Yeah, and then you'll have college, and then your job. It's very convenient if you're too scared to put yourself out there."

"I'm not scared."

As Micha was speaking, he heard footsteps behind him. Before he could turn around, a pair of arms fell down hard his shoulders and a voice spoke above his left ear.

"You're not scared of what?"

Micha gulped quietly. He didn't need to look up to know who was behind him.

"L-Lucien ..." He mumbled meekly. He shifted under the older boy's weight, but couldn't find the strength to move away.

"Fuck, you scared us!" Phoenix exclaimed. "Where'd you come from?"

"My house." Lucien put his chin on the top of Micha's head. With him being so close, Micha could sense his heavy and exotic aroma. It was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't figure out what it was. "So what were you two talking about?"

"N-nothing ... just some silly things."

He shot Phoenix a warning look. None of what they'd been discussing must reach another person's ears – especially the part about Lucien's father! Luckily, it seemed like Phoenix had no desire to share his thoughts about their neighbours with Lucien. In fact, he'd suddenly become quiet and disinterested, opting to kick at the ground instead of engaging in a conversation.

"Mmm ... what kind of silly things were you talking about?" Lucien asked. His fingers were drumming on Micha's shoulders, sending ripples down his spine.

"Um …" Micha swallowed. "The usual pointless banter, I suppose."

Lucien remained silent for a while. He traced the pattern of Micha's cardigan before straightening up. He moved to Micha's side so that he could look him in the eyes. Micha managed to endure his gaze for a few seconds before turning his head away.

"I'm going out to meet some friends," Lucien said. "We're probably gonna get some food and drinks and go hang out somewhere. You guys can come if you want."

Though he was clearly talking to the two brothers, his dark eyes were fixed on Micha, and Micha was aware of it with his entire being. He flushed and shifted under the other's intense stare.

"I don't think dad will be very happy if we went ..." He said quietly.

Phoenix shot him a quick look.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind," he said, his tone indicating that Micha would be a fool to refuse the invitation.

"No, no, he definitely told us we weren't to leave the cul-de-sac," Micha insisted. He continued quickly before his brother could say another word. "Um ... Phoenix, we really need to get back home, so ... we should go. Now." He took Phoenix by the hand and walked away briskly.

He didn't dare look back to see what Lucien was doing. Phoenix did so, but whatever he saw, he kept it to himself. The two brother were silent until they went in their house. Once inside, Phoenix tuned to Micha with a slightly pitiful expression on his face.

"What?"

"You really are a little coward, aren't you?" Phoenix asked sadly.

Micha looked at him, but couldn't find it in him to reply.


	4. Robert 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert and Nathan share a few drinks at Jim and Kim's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might be a few mistakes and some odd phrases, sorry about those, but I didn't have time to go over the chapter one last time to check it.
> 
> Enjoy!

_Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine._

Those were the words spoken by Humphrey Bogart in the unforgettable 40s classic Cassablanca. Robert had watched that movie at least several dozen times – what kind of self-proclaimed movie buff hadn't?! - but he'd never imagined he would one day find himself in a situation similar to that of Rick Blaine. Robert, with his haggard dirty clothes and unshaven face, was hardly a double for the famous Hollywood actor.

Truth be told, the situation wasn't _exactly_ like Rick Blaine's - while Robert _was_ drowning his sorrows in alcohol, just like Rick, Jim and Kim's was not what one would call a gin joint. In addition, the person who'd brought up the quote in Robert's mind certainly didn't possess the grace of the eternal Ingrid Bergman.

Robert was having a lonely evening. With Mary feeling indisposed and unable to join him, he'd had little choice but to go drinking by himself. He found out fairly quickly that he was a rotten company.

He had his first few drink in silence, occasionally exchanging a word or two with Neil. As he cradled his latest glass of whiskey for the night, Robert started scanning the bar for someone interesting to talk to. Then his eyes fell on Nathan.

Nathan wasn't what Robert would call _interesting_. He came off as a timid, gentle man who would rather spend his weekends at home rather than in a bar. In fact, his appearance was so sudden that, almost against his will, Robert found his attention drawn to the man.

He couldn't help but think that, for some reason, Nathan had come here for _him_.

They hadn't seen each other since Joseph's barbecue. Robert had glimpsed Nathan's boys, the twins, walking around the area from time to time. They'd greet him politely as they passed him by and, if Robert was with Betsy, they'd stop to give her a few pats.

Nathan, however, was nowhere to be seen. Sometimes his silhouette would flash for a breath of a second in a window, as if Nathan was nothing more than a ghost passing from room to room restlessly. Perhaps it was because of this peculiar behaviour that Robert thought about Nathan more often than he thought he would. If he had to be honest, he was quite perplexed by that, as Nathan wasn't the sort of person Robert would have an interest in. Even now, when he saw Nathan enter the bar, he was more baffled than pleased to see him.

He watched his neighbour, curious to see what he was up to, as it was obvious that Nathan hadn't come to Jim and Kim's just to have a drink. He was awkwardly standing near the door, his pose indicating that he was fully aware of how out of place he looked. His eyes were scanning the room, as if looking for something. Or someone. Whoever he was searching for, it wasn't Robert. Nathan could clearly see him from where he was standing, and his gaze did pass him, but Nathan didn't show that he'd recognized him.

The person he was looking for didn't seem to be here, because after a brief hesitation Nathan hastily made his way to the bar. He had a worried look on his face that startled Robert. People who came in a bar for a drink - or to meet someone - rarely needed to be so anxious. Nathan talked to Neil for a while, but Robert couldn't hear what he was saying. It didn't seem like Nathan was ordering something to drink, though, as Neil's response was to shake his head.

People rarely visited bars without some purpose in mind. That purpose was most often a desire to pour as much alcohol into their system as they were allowed to. However, it didn't seem like this was Nathan's intention. When he'd entered the bar, Robert had thought about inviting him over so they could have a few drinks together. But seeing how clearly agitated Nathan was, he'd changed his mind. Nathan seemed to be dealing with something unpleasant at the moment, and he didn't need people bothering him. It would be best if Robert picked some other poor soul to torment.

However, those noble thoughts evaporated when Nathan, having perhaps sensed that he was being watched, turned his head around and his gaze met Robert's. Though they were standing some distance apart from each other, Robert could see Nathan's eyes grow wide behind the round lenses of his glasses. Ignoring this rather obvious sign that Nathan wasn't exactly happy to see him, Robert raised his glass at him.

"Life getting too tough for you?" He asked instead of a greeting.

"Excuse me?" Nathan sounded confused. "I don't really understand ..."

"Well, no one goes to a bar if they're happy with their life," Robert explained, which earned him a scowl from Neil. Neil liked to think he was running a decent establishment that catered to more than just depressed drunks.

"Oh, you can't be sure about that," Nathan said with a shy smile. "There are people that just want to have a drink or two with friends, after all."

"Yeah, _with friends_ ," Robert repeated before downing the rest of his whiskey in one large gulp. "They won't come here alone, like you did."

"You're alone as well, Robert," Nathan pointed out.

"My point exactly."

Robert stood up and moved closer to Nathan, choosing to ignore that Nathan flinched and tried to back away. He shook his empty glass lightly at Neil and Neil, being the understanding man that he was, promptly supplied him with two whiskey shots. Robert pushed one towards Nathan and delighted in seeing the other's cheeks turn bright pink.

"O-oh," he stammered, shrinking back a little. "I don't think I should ..."

"It's bad manners to refuse," Robert said with a smirk.

He'd meant only to tease the other, but it seemed like Nathan took his words seriously. With some hesitation, he accepted the shot glass and rolled it in his hands, examining the amber liquid in it with a mix of caution and curiosity. He even went as far as sniffing it.

"It has a really strong scent," he said.

"That means it's good stuff. You gotta drink it in one go, by the way," Robert instructed, accurately deducing that Nathan wasn't very experienced with drinking. "Cheers!"

"Cheers," Nathan mumbled, with much less enthusiasm.

Robert had managed to gulp down his shot before Nathan had even brought the glass to his lips. He watched with interest and chuckled at how Nathan's face contorted in pain as the whiskey travelled down his throat. Nathan put the empty glass down coughing.

"Not bad, huh?"

"I guess not … it's supposed to burn, I assume?" Nathan's voice was raspy. He gave Robert a sheepish smile. "I've never really been good at drinking."

"I could tell you don't have much experience with it."

"Yes, I suppose I don't," he admitted, chuckling. His cheeks were still flushed, but Robert figured that was likely due to the whiskey rather than shyness. "Thank you for the drink."

"You're welcome. Guess you would have liked beer better?"

"I am more partial to beer, yes." Nathan nodded with a smile. "I find it easier to drink and less burning too."

"Alright then."

Robert turned to Neil and, ignoring Nathan's hasty protests, ordered two beers. With the drinks in hand, he pushed the other man towards a secluded booth in the corner.

"Robert, you shouldn't have done that," Nathan said with a sigh. "I need to go back home. I told my son I wouldn't be out for too long."

"I'm sure you can spare some time for a beer. Now sit down."

Nathan did so with another heavy sigh. He didn't seem too happy with the situation he'd found himself in but he was either too mild-mannered or shy to do anything about it. Robert sat down opposite him, studying him with interest. On previous occasions he hadn't really been in the mood to pay significant attention to his new neighbour. Now, however, he was feeling oddly inquisitive. There was something about Nathan that had piqued his interest and Robert wanted to figure out just what it was about the man that drew Robert to him.

It couldn't be his looks. Nathan was younger than Robert; he appeared to be under forty, though his exact age was hard to determine. Though there were wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, they were only barely visible. From a distance, Nathan could pass for someone in their late twenties. He was pleasant to look at, but not striking or handsome at all.

He was a small man, and rather plain-looking too. He had light brown hair that glowed dark red under the lights in the bar. He was wearing a dark polo shirt and khaki pants, and couldn't look more like a typical suburban dad - just the sort of person that Robert had an innate aversion to.

But there _had_ to be something beneath all that plainness. Robert had been interested in Nathan since they first met, and he was baffled by it. He couldn't find anything in Nathan that could be having such an effect on him.

Maybe his interest stemmed from the fact that, despite his normal appearance, there was something not quite right about Nathan. His dark brown eyes were a bit too dark, and the way he sometimes clenched his jaw and pursed his lips struck Robert as quite odd. He remembered that at Joseph's barbecue, Nathan had been very vague when talking about his life before moving to Maple Bay.

"Did you say something?"

"Huh?" Robert hadn't realized he'd been mumbling under his breath. "No, nothing. Forget it." He took a long sip of his beer, pouring more than half of it in his throat, and then wiped his mouth. "It's been a while since I've last seen you."

"Has it?" Nathan said. "I'm still settling in, and I had so many things to do. I suppose I've been so busy I've kind of lost track of time."

"Guess that's understandable," Robert said. "You need some help with something?"

"No, I think I'll manage. All that's left to do is to buy a car, really."

"A car?"

"Yes." Nathan nodded, and then smiled. "Second-hand, of course; after buying the house I don't have much money left. I doubt I'd be able to afford a new car at the moment."

"Second-hand's also good." Robert said. "Maybe not as flashy as new-bought, but I don't think you really care about that."

"I certainly don't," Nathan replied laughing. "I just need it to get around the town more easily. My workplace is in the nearby city, and it's a hassle to take the bus every day."

"Yeah." Robert took a swig of his beer. "So … why'd you come to Jim and Kim's if you didn't want to drink then?"

Nathan flushed again and shrunk in his seat, suddenly anxious again. He scratched his upper lip absently as he mumbled under his breath – what he was saying, Robert couldn't understand. It seemed like Nathan was having troubles coming up with an answer.

"Oh …" He tapped his fingers on the table. "It's a little embarrassing to explain."

"Try to," Robert prompted him. He rolled up his sleeves and noticed that Nathan's flush darkened as his gaze roamed over his bared skin. Nathan stared at Robert's tattoo for a few seconds before he suddenly flinched and looked away. "Like what you see?" He teased him with a smirk.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry, Robert ... I was staring, wasn't I?"

"You were, but don't worry. I don't really mind." He shrugged. "So, what were you doing here?"

Nathan looked down.

"I was …" He hesitated, and then continued with a sigh. "I was looking for my son."

"Here?" Robert glanced around the bar, wondering if perhaps they had been transported somewhere else while he wasn't paying attention. "I thought your kids were 14 or something."

"... They are."

Robert nodded thoughtfully. He didn't need to ask which son Nathan had been searching for.

"I see. So Phoenix likes to drink, then?"

He wasn't that surprised. Teenagers were known to be reckless. Robert himself had been about the same age when he first started drinking - though he had to admit, he hadn't had the balls to go to a bar to do so. He'd been perfectly content getting wasted in his parents' basement.

Nathan took a small sip of his beer, as he pondered Robert's question.

"I don't think he _really_ does," he finally said. "I don't think he's ever got drunk, thank God. Or at least," he corrected himself, "I haven't seen him in such a state. But I think the real reason he drinks is that ... well, because he's not allowed to do so yet. Phoenix has always had a slight problem with authority. He likes doing the exact opposite of what people tell him; he's been like that ever since he was a child. I think he finds it amusing to make everyone angry."

"Ah, so he's the rebellious type." Again, Robert wasn't surprised. He'd already noticed that the brat liked to provoke people. "You should try some reverse psychology on him."

"He's too smart for that. I doubt it would work." Nathan chuckled. He took another sip from his beer, grimacing at the bitter taste while Robert watched him in amusement.

"I suppose having a kid like Phoenix isn't that easy," he said. Val had been a strong-willed child as well and he fondly remembered how she often she would oppose his authority. It was a wonder how someone so small could be so vicious!

"It's a real nightmare sometimes," Nathan admitted. "I love Phoenix and I'd give my life for him, but he is so difficult to deal with. I never know what he might do! Ah … but you don't need to hear me ramble."

"Why not?" Robert shrugged. "It's healthy to have someone to ramble to."

He didn't really mind it. It was far better to be talking about about something personal, rather than listen to Nathan talk about the weather or other trivial and boring matters.

"I … I have to admit, in a way it's a relief to be able to share my worries with someone." Nathan wiped the perspiration off the glass with his thumbs. "But it's not fair of me to complain about my son. Children are often unruly, and Phoenix is far from being a bad person. I don't think he's capable of doing something truly horrible, which I'm very thankful for."

"Well, that's all you, right?" Robert asked. "You're the one who raised him that way."

Robert had thought that this would cheer Nathan up, But the other just shook his head at his words.

"I'd be happy if that were the case," he said with a smile. "But I'm afraid I haven't been as good of a father as I could have been."

"You don't seem half so bad. As a parent, I mean."

Every parent, no matter how well-meaning, had missteps. Nathan wasn't being fair to himself by berating his own parenting skills, especially to Robert, who'd been much more inept at handling his parenting responsibilities.

"Why, thank you, Robert." Nathan gave him a warm smile. "I've always wanted children, and - it's a bit silly to admit - I thought that because I wanted to be a father, it meant that it would be easy for me to raise a child."

"That makes sense though," Robert retorted. "I bet it's easier for you to be a father than it would be for someone who doesn't really want to be one."

"Well, it would be easier, but that doesn't mean it would be _easy_ , if that makes sense. What I meant was that children are always unpredictable. Even if you are fully prepared to be a parent, in every sense of the word, you will always be faced with situations that you won't know how to handle. Take this as an example - I never thought I'd have to look for my underage son in a bar."

Nathan finished his speech with a heavy sigh and his head hanging low. He'd probably meant for his last words to be humorous, though it was clear that he was tired by his son's antics. Robert wondered how often he'd had to go out searching for Phoenix in the past.

"I guess no one ever is truly ready to be a parent, huh?" Robert asked with a soft chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, that's certainly true." Nathan laughed as well. His laughter was bitter, but he seemed more cheerful now. "But it's what makes parenting so fascinating, I think."

"Yeah, I guess." Robert was silent for a while. "Well, at least the other one turned out alright, huh?"

"The ... other one?" Nathan gave him a confused look.

"Yeah, your blond kid. Eh ... Michael?"

"Micha," he corrected. His smile had faded, but Robert didn't take much notice of it.

"Right. He seems like a good kid."

"I ... I suppose he is."

Nathan took a long swig of his beer. So far he'd been drinking it in small, careful sips, and it wasn't hard for Robert to deduce that this sudden change was because he wanted to halt their conversation. For some reason, it seemed that mentioning Micha had somehow soured the mood. This was odd, as Micha was the type of kid that any parent would be happy to talk about for hours.

When Nathan put his empty mug down, Robert motioned at Neil to bring them more drinks.

"C'mon, you should loosen up a little," he said in response to Nathan's protests. "Besides, you ain't gonna let me drink alone, are you?"

"I g-guess not ..."

Nathan hesitantly accepted the beer Robert handed him, murmuring his thanks in a soft voice. His posture was a bit unsteady, and Robert guessed that the alcohol he'd drank was already affecting him. It was a charming and slightly amusing sight, he thought with a smile. But he had to make sure Nathan didn't go overboard with his drinking - people who didn't drink were often the most obnoxious drunks.

"Maybe be a little careful with that one," he said, nodding to the beer.

"Yeah ... I've never been much of a drinker."

"It shows." Robert chuckled. "Most people hold their beer with one hand."

"Oh!" Nathan quickly withdrew his right hand. "Sorry. As I said, I don't drink very often. It's a lot more uncomfortable with one hand."

"Yeah, that's what she said."

"I'm sorry?"

"..." Robert sighed. "It's a joke. Forget it."

Nathan fell silent again, and stared at his beer. His shoulder were tense again, Robert noted with some annoyance. He'd just got Nathan to relax properly, and the two were having a decent conversation. It seemed that his neighbour had reverted to his old self again.

He wondered if Micha had told Nathan what had happened at the barbecue. He'd realized, a little belatedly, that it had been a mistake to pull a knife on the kid. He'd never meant to _use_ it on the poor boy, just scare him. And it seemed that he had managed to do so. Micha had probably shared the story with his father, which would explain why Nathan's mood had soured the second Robert mentioned Micha.

"So ..." He searched for what to say desperately. If he were a different person, he would have opted for a trivial but safe topic, like sports or the weather. But he hated small talk. "What brings you here? In Maple Bay, I mean."

"Change, I suppose." Nathan shrugged. "Some unpleasant things happened and once they were over, I felt that my sons and I could use a new start."

Ah, so Robert's hunch had been correct. There _had_ been something dark in Nathan's past.

"You seem to have gone pretty far looking for that new start," he said.

"What do you mean?"

He gestured vaguely at Nathan's face.

"Your accent," he elaborated. "You're British, right?"

Nathan's frown cleared and he nodded.

"Yes. Half-British, actually. My parents are from Norway. But I've lived in the United Kingdom most of my life."

"Yeah, so that's what I meant. You've sure gone way too far looking for that new start."

"As I said, some unpleasant things happened to me. I thought that the farther away I moved, the better."

Robert nodded in understanding. He and Marilyn had come to Maple Bay with similar intentions. Everything had been well in the beginning until Robert had fallen apart again. The moment he'd done so, everything else had gone downhill. He hoped that Nathan's life wouldn't end up like his own.

He looked at Nathan with renewed interest. Nathan seemed like the last person whose life would have ever strayed from the ordinary. But seeing how tense he'd become when talking about his 'new start' and the 'unpleasant' events, it was clear that he'd dealt with some shit in his past.

He wondered if perhaps this had something to do with Nathan's marriage. Nathan didn't wear a wedding ring, and he hadn't mentioned anything about having a partner, either a past or present one, but those twins of his had to have appeared _somehow_. Robert was more than certain that at some point, there had been a lover in Nathan's life. A lover that he had had children with, and who had caused him enough problems to drive him out of the country.

"What about you, Robert?" Nathan asked suddenly. "Have you lived here all your life?"

"Nah. My wife and I moved here a few years ago."

"Oh! You're married?"

"Eh ... not anymore. She ... she passed away."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

Robert waved his hand in dismissal and then knocked back the rest of his beer. It was warm and tasteless in his mouth and he put the empty mug down on the table with too much force.

"'s fine," he said hoarsely. "Happened a long time ago. I'm over it now."

Nathan looked shocked.

"It must have been very hard for you to cope with your loss," he said carefully. "I imagine losing one's partner must be a devastating experience."

His voice was sympathetic and his words carefully picked. As he was talking, he reached out to pat Robert's arm. His touch was careful, obviously meant to comfort Robert, and in any other case, Robert would have welcomed it. But he hadn't planned for his life's story to come up. He moved away from Nathan and cleared his throat.

"If you don't mind," he spoke, trying to keep his voice in check, "I don't want to talk about this."

"Of course, of course. I understand," Nathan said, quickly withdrawing his hand. He looked embarrassed and apologetic. "I'm really sorry for bringing it up."

"'s okay. You didn't know."

Robert had finished his beer. He pondered ordering another one, but decided against it. He felt old and tired, and suddenly found the bar too crowded and warm and insufferable. He wanted to leave. Nathan must have sensed that, because he quickly finished his own drink and then stood up. His pose was unsteady and he had to prop himself on the table.

"We should get going, don't you think?" He asked, taking his phone out. "It's getting very late, and I- oh!" He paused and stared at his screen for a few seconds. "I have a missed call from my son!" He exclaimed.

"From Phoenix?"

"No, Micha. I don't understand, I have the sound turned on. How could I not have heard my phone ring?"

Robert couldn't recall hearing the phone ring either. Then again, he had been too focused on Nathan to hear anything else.

"You should call him," he said. "I'll go pay for the drinks."

"Oh, no, Robert, please," Nathan protested. "I ought to pay for my part at least."

"Nah, it's my treat. Go call your kid."

Without waiting for a reply, Robert gathered the empty glasses and went to the bar. He stacked them in front of Neil before reaching for his pocket.

"Friend of yours, Robert?" Neil asked him.

"Hm, what?" Robert was too busy with his wallet to hear what the other was saying. Then he turned to Nathan who was still standing by the table. He was talking on his phone in a low voice. "Eh ... More like a neighbour. Why?"

Neil shrugged.

"He doesn't look like most people that come in here."

"Yeah, you're right about that."

He looked at Nathan once more. He was still talking on the phone, smiling lightly, and the light from the lamp near him made his face glow.

Suddenly, Robert realized that Neil was right. Nathan, despite being perfectly average, didn't look like anyone Robert knew. He wasn't like the other men in the cul-de-sac, and he certainly wasn't like anyone Robert had ever met at the bar. In a sense, he was unique because he was in a place where average wasn't the norm. The thought brought a smile to his lips and he turned to Neil.

"Yeah, he's different," he said with a soft chuckle.

Neil gave him an odd look, but said nothing.

A couple of minutes later Nathan ended his call. He put his phone away and went to Robert.

"Robert, I don't think it's right for you to pay for my drinks as well," he said.

"Too late, already did." Robert smirked. "You can return the favour next time if it'll make you feel better. Now c'mon, let's go. You still need to find your kid, right?"

"Oh, about that." He smiled awkwardly. "I just talked to Micha and he told me Phoenix is already home. It seems that he'd just gone to the convenience store to buy some snacks. I guess I was worried for nothing."

"Isn't that better than him having actually gone to a bar?"

"Oh, yes, definitely!" He chuckled. "I suppose I ought to apologize to him when I get home."

They headed out of the bar together. When they were on the street, Robert pulled out his cigarettes, took one out and then, after hesitating for a second, offered one to Nathan. But Nathan just shook his head with a smile.

"I don't smoke."

"Suit yourself." Robert shrugged.

They walked slowly towards the cul-de-sac. It was late in the evening, though still too early for Robert to be going home. He rolled his shoulders and turned to look at the man besides him. Nathan was walking fairly steadily. He was mixing up his steps a little, but didn't seem like he needed some assistance.

He probably would have been able to handle another beer, Robert thought. Now that the topic of his past was behind them, his bad mood had lifted and he regretted leaving the bar so early. He now realized that the time he'd just spent with Nathan was nowhere near enough.

"Hey," he spoke when they entered the cul-de-sac. "Come to my place for one last drink?"

"At your house?" Nathan sounded surprised. "But Robert, I told you that I need to go home. My sons are probably wondering where I am."

"Doubt it. Most teenagers like it when they're alone, right?"

Robert wasn't sure why he kept insisting. He knew that he should just let Nathan go home. He knew that there was no way Nathan would just have a drink at his place. And he knew, deep down, that he'd only make things worse if he continued with his persisting.

But he hated himself enough to continue.

"Could we maybe postpone it for some other time?" Nathan asked. "I mean ... we just had a couple of drinks, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did. So what's one more, right?" He gave him his best seductive smile, though Nathan was so anxious he hardly took notice of it. "Besides, I just taught you how to drink properly. It'll be a shame to let that knowledge go to waste."

Nathan hesitated. He glanced at his own home across the street.

"My son ..."

"Come on, relax a little!" Suddenly anxious that Nathan might reject his offer, Robert took him by the upper arm and dragged him to his house. He stopped at the front door. "What, are you afraid of me?"

"..."

Nathan didn't say anything. The question had taken him by surprise, though he didn't seem disturbed by it. He probably assumed that Robert was just messing with him. Robert himself wasn't quite sure if he was being serious with his inquiry or not.

"Well, you're probably right to fear me," he said. "I'm not a nice guy."

"Aren't you being a bit too harsh on yourself?"

Robert chuckled dryly.

"Maybe. But I deserve it."

"No, you don't," Nathan said softly.

Robert looked at him and he blushed and turned his head away, mumbling something quietly.

He unlocked his front door and opened it.

"You coming in?"

Nathan hesitated. Then he sighed and shrugged.

"Er ... well, alright. It's _really_ just for one last drink, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Robert nodded.

Nathan looked back at his house one last time before stepping into Robert's home. Robert followed him, and as he closed the door behind them, his lips twisted into a victorious smile.


End file.
